Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
From KFF Health News - Latest Stories:
KFF Health News Original Stories
How to Get Rid of Medical Debt — Or Avoid It in the First Place
Medical bills can add stress to the already stressful experience of dealing with a medical crisis. And if you can’t pay those bills, they can linger, wreaking havoc on your financial goals and credit. Here’s how to protect yourself.
Big Employers Are Offering Abortion Benefits. Will the Information Stay Safe?
Work-based benefits may expand access to abortion for people who live in areas where the service is unavailable, but experts warn that claiming benefits could create a paper trail for law enforcement officials to follow.
How Much Health Insurers Pay for Almost Everything Is About to Go Public
New government rules force health insurers to publicly disclose what they pay for just about every service. That information could help consumers and employers know whether they’re getting a fair deal.
LA’s First Heat Officer Says Helping Vulnerable Communities Is Key to Achieving Climate Goals
Los Angeles taps Marta Segura, director of the city’s climate emergency mobilization office, as its first heat officer. Segura, the first Hispanic person to hold such a position in the country, will work across city departments on an early warning system while developing cooling strategies.
California May Require Labels on Pot Products to Warn of Mental Health Risks
Doctors and lawmakers in California want cannabis products labeled to warn consumers of the increased risk of schizophrenia and other disorders associated with heavy use.
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: A World Without ‘Roe’
The Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade has created far more questions than it has answered about the continued legality and availability of abortion, as both abortion rights supporters and anti-abortion activists scramble to put their marks on policy. Meanwhile, Congress completes work on its gun bill and the FDA takes up the problem of the next covid-19 booster. Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet, and Victoria Knight of KHN join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KHN’s Angela Hart, who reported and wrote the latest KHN-NPR “Bill of the Month” episode about two identical eye surgeries with very different price tags.
Political Cartoon: 'Unplanned Parenthood'
KFF Health News provides a fresh take on health policy developments with "Political Cartoon: 'Unplanned Parenthood'" by Mike Luckovich.
Here's today's health policy haiku:
EMPTY WORDS WON'T HELP THOSE WHO NEED ABORTIONS
Joe, counterattack?
— Micki Jackson
Strong statements are thin gruel.
Roll out action now!
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Note To Readers
KHN's Morning Briefing will not be published Monday, July 4. Look for it again in your inbox Tuesday.
Summaries Of The News:
After Roe V. Wade
Biden Supports Filibuster Carve-Out To Codify Abortion Rights
The New York Times: Biden Endorses Ending Filibuster To Codify Abortion Rights
President Biden on Thursday condemned what he called the “outrageous behavior” of the Supreme Court in overturning Roe v. Wade and said for the first time that he supported ending the filibuster to protect a woman’s right to an abortion and a broader constitutional right to privacy. It was a striking assertion from a president who is steeped in the traditions of the Senate and has resisted calls from the liberal wing of the Democratic Party to scrap the longstanding Senate practice of requiring a 60-vote threshold to pass legislation. But in chiding the justices for a decision he called “destabilizing” for the country, the president said it was time to push Congress to act. (Shear and Tankersley, 6/30)
AP: Biden Backs Filibuster Exception To Protect Abortion Access
Although Democrats already control the Senate by the narrowest of margins, there isn’t enough support within their caucus to change the filibuster rule, which allows any member to block legislation unless it receives 60 votes. But Biden’s statement was the latest indication that, if the party picks up a few more seats in the midterm elections in November, Democrats could seize the opportunity to pass legislation creating a nationwide right to abortion. (Megerian, 6/30)
Politico: The Democratic Primary That Could Determine The Future Of Abortion Rights
The only way Democrats can codify Roe v. Wade into law is with a world-beating bank shot that requires two new votes to weaken the filibuster. Enter Battleground Wisconsin. Senate races in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania represent Democrats’ best chance to net two extra Senate seats — enough, presumably, to chip away at chamber rules that empower the minority party to block legislation. President Joe Biden boosted their effort Thursday by endorsing an exemption to the 60-vote threshold to preserve nationwide abortion rights. (Everett, 7/1)
In related news from the federal government —
Bloomberg: Roe V. Wade Fallout: House Democrats Renew Bid To Expand Federal Abortion Funds
A $242 billion bill funding the departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and Education would drop the so-called Hyde Amendment for the first time since 1976. That provision bans the use of federal funds for abortion except for cases of rape, incest or when the life of the mother is at risk. (Wasson and Fitzpatrick, 6/30)
NBC News: Congresswoman Who Wrote Abortion Rights Bill Arrested At Rally Near Supreme Court
The House Democrat who introduced a bill last year to enshrine abortion rights into federal law was among more than 180 protesters who were arrested Thursday at a pro-abortion rights rally near the Supreme Court. Rep. Judy Chu of California was participating in a civil disobedience rally on Capitol grounds, "where she was subsequently arrested alongside other activists," her office said in a news release. (Richards, 6/30)
Politico: The Conservative Supreme Court Is Just Getting Warmed Up
“What the court did just on abortion, guns and congressional power in the last eight days—that alone is momentous [but] if these justices stay together over the next few years, I don’t even think the first shoe has dropped,” University of California at Irvine Law Professor Rick Hasen said. “There’s so much more the Supreme Court could do to change American society.” (Gerstein and Ward, 6/30)
KHN: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: A World Without ‘Roe’
It’s been less than a week since the Supreme Court struck down the constitutional right to abortion and each passing day has produced more questions than answers. Doctors, employers, lawmakers, district attorneys, and women are all confused about what is allowed and when. And things won’t be sorted out for some time, it appears. Meanwhile, Congress passed and President Joe Biden signed a gun bill that’s likely to do more on the mental health front than it is to curb mass shooting incidents. But if it curbs gun suicides, that would be a big step forward for public health. (6/30)
Judge To Block Florida's 15-Week Abortion Ban; Kentucky Trigger Law Put On Hold
CNN: Judge Says Florida's 15-Week Abortion Law Is Unconstitutional
In a setback for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Republican lawmakers, a Florida judge has ruled that a new state law banning abortions at 15 weeks is unconstitutional and he intends to block it from taking effect on Friday. In a verbal ruling on Thursday, Second Judicial Circuit Court Judge John Cooper said he would be issuing a temporary statewide injunction that will go into effect once he signs the written order in the challenge brought by some Florida abortion providers. (Contorno, 6/30)
The Courier-Journal: Abortions Can Resume In KY For Now After Judge Grants Temporary Order
Jefferson Circuit Judge Mitch Perry on Thursday granted a request by the state's two abortion providers for a temporary suspension of the state's "trigger" law that bans abortions in Kentucky. EMW Women's Surgical Center and Planned Parenthood, the state's only two abortion providers, have begun taking appointments at their Louisville locations, according to the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky. (Yetter, 6/30)
AP: Beshear Denounces Near-Total Abortion Ban As 'Extremist'
Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear on Thursday denounced a Kentucky law designed to impose a near-total ban on abortions as “extremist,” pointing to the lack of exceptions for rape and incest victims as he pushed back on an issue that Republicans have made a policymaking priority. (Schreiner, 6/30)
NPR: How Anti-Abortion Trigger Laws Are Impacting People Across The U.S.
In the week after six conservative judges undid a half-century of legal protections for people seeking an abortion, NPR spoke with a handful of reproductive rights supporters — activists, doctors, abortion clinic escorts and women who made the choice to end a pregnancy — to gauge how they're feeling and what their plans are, moving forward in a post-Roe world. What we found is a group of people bound together by immense grief, frustration and outright fury, but who are all committed to continuing to fight in whatever ways they can. They say the battle over what they believe is the fundamental right of people to choose an abortion is far from over, only now it will be fought in courtrooms and legislatures at the state level. (Romo, 7/1)
In related news about abortions on tribal land —
Axios: Indigenous Tribes Push Back On Calls To Open Abortion Clinics On Federal Lands
Representatives for some Indigenous tribes tell Axios they have no plans to set up abortion clinics on their lands and would take offense at any non-Native Americans, including progressives, telling them what to do. The Biden administration has made clear it has no plans to pursue such moves, telling progressives who leaned on them to set up abortion clinics on federal land in red states that they're underestimating the legal risks and other complications. (Cai and Chen, 6/30)
Abortion clinics resume work, but confusion reigns —
The 19th: Louisiana, Utah, Texas Abortion Clinics Operating After Courts Intervene
Patients burst into tears on the phone. For once, it was the good kind. Starting Tuesday, at least for short time, abortion would be legal again in Texas, and Andrea Gallegos had no time to lose. Her clinic, Alamo Women’s Reproductive Services in San Antonio, had been closed since Friday. They’d been forced to send patients home when Roe v. Wade was overturned, canceling 25 scheduled abortions. Patients originally scheduled to come in Monday and Tuesday lost their appointments as well. (Luthra and Carrazana, 6/30)
Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Georgia Abortion Clinics Say Demand Has Surged Amid Legal Limbo
In the week since constitutional protections for abortion were overturned, Planned Parenthood Southeast says it has fielded double the previous number of calls from people seeking abortions — except on some days, when the call volume tripled. Clinics in Georgia face a new crush of demand sparked by the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which left abortion to the states and triggered an immediate ban in neighboring Alabama. (Malik, Croft and Prabhu, 7/1)
St. Louis Public Radio: Missouri Law Criminalizes Abortion. Here’s Why OB-GYNs Are Alarmed
Dr. Jeannie Kelly, a Washington University OB-GYN, is concerned for pregnant patients in Missouri. After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Missouri became one of the first states to ban most abortions. There’s an exception in cases of medical emergency, which the state defines as “serious risk of substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function.” Kelly told St. Louis on the Air that the law’s definition lacks nuance. (Woodbury, 6/30)
Connecticut Abortion Law Goes Into Effect; New York Mulls Constitutional Amendment
AP: Connecticut Abortion Law, Tax Changes To Take Effect Friday
Connecticut’s first major abortion-related legislation in years, which aims to legally protect providers and patients from other states’ bans on the procedure, will take effect Friday. The legislation was passed by the Connecticut General Assembly in late April and signed into law by Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont in May in response to a Texas law that authorizes lawsuits against clinics, doctors and others who perform or facilitate a banned abortion, even in another state. (Haigh, 6/30)
AP: NY Faces Calls To Enshrine Abortion Rights In Constitution
New York Democrats are considering enshrining abortion rights in the state constitution following the overturn of Roe v. Wade, possibly as part of a broader amendment that would also prohibit discrimination based on gender expression. Lawmakers held a special legislative session Thursday that Gov. Kathy Hochul called primarily to pass an emergency overhaul of the state’s gun permitting rules after they were struck down by a Supreme Court ruling. (Villeneuve, 7/1)
More companies are providing help for those seeking abortions —
Detroit Free Press: Michigan's Blue Cross Blue Shield To Offer Travel Benefit For Abortion
The new benefit option from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan comes in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, which now leaves it up to states to allow, restrict or ban abortions. Abortion remains legal in Michigan because of a court-ordered injunction. (Roberts, 6/30)
Bloomberg: Oracle Quietly Adds Abortion Travel Reimbursement Benefits
Oracle Corp., one of the largest US tech employers, has strengthened worker benefits for abortion access while remaining publicly silent on the issue. The company has updated its health benefits policy to include a lifetime maximum reimbursement of $10,000 for travel and lodging for “legal abortions,” according to documents reviewed by Bloomberg. The change to the 2022 health benefits plan is effective Friday. (Ford and Bass, 7/1)
KHN: Big Employers Are Offering Abortion Benefits. Will The Information Stay Safe?
In response to the Supreme Court’s overturning of Americans’ constitutional right to abortion, large employers thought they had found a way to help workers living in states where abortions would be banned: provide benefits to support travel to other states for services. But that solution is only triggering questions. Experts warn that simply claiming the benefits may create paper trails for law enforcement officials in states criminalizing abortion. (Tahir, 7/1)
Not everyone is offering help —
Bloomberg: New Abortion Benefits Remain Out Of Reach For Most US Workers, Surveys Show
A majority of HR executives say they either don’t plan to change their current health-care offerings or are still evaluating options, according to a survey of 220 human resources executives this week released Thursday by management consulting firm Gartner. Only 24% said they currently offer the travel benefit. (Green, 6/30)
Reproductive Health
Will States Try To Ban Women From Traveling At All To Abortion-Rights States?
The Boston Globe: Will Roe Decision Lead To Interstate Travel Bans?
Now that the Supreme Court has voted to overturn Roe v. Wade, more than a dozen states over the next month are expected to begin enforcing partial or near-total bans on abortion within their borders. But some foes of abortion have proposed going even further — stopping women from their states from traveling to another where abortion is legal for the procedure. Antiabortion groups and state legislators have discussed ways to restrict interstate travel for abortion, according to a Washington Post report. Governor Kristi Noem of South Dakota, which now bans abortion in almost all cases, said there “will be a debate” about how to handle cases of South Dakota women traveling out of state for the procedure. (Damiano, 7/1)
Axios: Next Post-Roe Battlefield: Online Abortion Information
Conservative activists, having won their goal of being able to criminalize abortion, are now aiming to limit or ban online information-sharing on the topic. In the wake of the Supreme Court's Dobbs ruling overturning Roe V. Wade, tech platforms are already struggling to moderate abortion-related content and fight misinformation around the topic. Those seeking to share information online about abortion, whether it's about the procedure itself or where to legally access it, will be in the crosshairs of restrictive state laws and changing social media policies. (Gold, 7/1)
Bloomberg: Deadly Abortion Misinformation Rings Alarm Bells For Doctors, TikTok
TikTok and other social media platforms are attempting to clamp down on posts highlighting certain toxic herbs that some say might stop a pregnancy, as doctors sound the alarm over their potentially fatal effects for the person taking them. (Ceron, 7/1)
Crain's Chicago Business: In Vitro Fertilization Providers Ask If Anti-Abortion Laws Will Apply To Them
Since early May, after a leaked draft of the high court's abortion opinion came out, IVF provider Kindbody has fielded numerous calls from patients who are concerned with how they should proceed, "particularly with embryos they already had frozen," said Dr. Angeline Beltsos, CEO, Clinical, of Kindbody. Beltsos was founder and chief medical officer of Chicago-based network Vios Fertility Institute, which Kindbody acquired in early 2022. (Asplund, 6/30)
On the increased demand for birth control —
Stat: After Abortion Ruling, Biotechs Developing Contraceptives Redouble Their Efforts
From San Diego to New Jersey, biotechs developing new forms of birth control say they’re doubling down on those efforts after Roe v. Wade was overturned — even as the Supreme Court’s ruling clouded the future of contraception. Companies are scrambling to accelerate research timelines, pressing insurers to cover approved products, and forging ahead to develop and deliver everything from on-demand, hormone-free female contraception to male birth control. (Wosen, 7/1)
The Washington Post: Men Are Rushing To Get Vasectomies After Supreme Court Overturns Roe V. Wade
Philip Werthman, a Los Angeles urologist, also reported a “300 to 400 percent” increase in the number of vasectomy consultations he has performed. Esgar Guarín, an Iowa-based urologist who trained under Stein and specializes in vasectomies, said he has seen a “200 to 250 percent” increase in traffic on his website offering information specifically about vasectomies.(Venkataramanan, 6/29)
Protections For Reproductive Health Data Begin To Click In
The Washington Post: Planned Parenthood Suspends Marketing Trackers On Abortion Search Pages
Planned Parenthood said it will remove the marketing trackers on its search pages related to abortions and that no protected health information has been breached thus far. The comments came after The Washington Post reported Wednesday findings from Lockdown Privacy, the maker of an app that blocks online trackers, showing that when visitors used the website’s search function to find an abortion provider and begin to schedule an appointment, Planned Parenthood shared data on those actions with third-party tracking companies including Google, Facebook and TikTok. (Hunger, 6/30)
NPR: Period Tracker App Flo Developing 'Anonymous Mode' To Quell Post-Roe Privacy Concerns
"Flo will always stand up for the health of women, and this includes providing our users with full control over their data," said Susanne Schumacher, the data protection officer for Flo, said in a release sent to NPR. "Flo will never share or sell user data, and only collects data when we have a legal basis to do so and when our users have given their informed consent. Any data we do collect is fully encrypted, and this will never change." (Kilpatrick, 6/30)
Modern Healthcare: HHS Issues HIPAA Guidance After Abortion Ruling
Providers shouldn't cite the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act as a reason to disclose a patient's abortion plan to law enforcement, the Health and Human Services Department said Wednesday. Under HIPAA, healthcare providers are allowed to disclose—including to law enforcement— a patient's medical information if they believe it's needed to prevent or lessen a "serious and imminent threat" to health or safety. (Kim Cohen, 6/30)
NBC News: Post-Roe, ‘Camping’ Has Become Code For Abortions. Activists Say It May Put People At Risk
Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, social media has been flooded by posts from people offering to take people "camping" — coded language for assisting people seeking abortions out of state. ... A code isn’t a code “if you tell everybody what the code is," said Kari Nixon, an assistant professor of English at Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington, who studies medical humanities. “There seems to be this sense of not taking this truly seriously enough.” (Sung and Goggin, 6/30)
Stat: Abortion Decision Sparks Health Tech's Cambridge Analytica Moment
In 2018, the tech industry found itself in a harsh spotlight amid a scandal involving a company called Cambridge Analytica, which had collected and used the data of millions of Facebook users, seemingly without their consent. It prompted a public outcry, congressional hearings, a $5 billion fine, and permanently altered the discourse around how social media firms use data. In the wake of a Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, health data privacy is getting its own Cambridge Analytica moment. (Aguilar, 6/30)
In related news from Washington state —
CNN: Washington State Police Will Not Comply With Out-Of-State Agency Requests For Abortion-Related Information, Governor Says
Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee issued a directive Thursday that bars state police from cooperating with out-of-state investigatory requests related to abortion in his efforts to make the state a "sanctuary" for those seeking the services. (Sarisohn, 7/1)
Capitol Watch
Senate Democrats Try Again With Plan To Let Medicare Negotiate Drug Prices
Roll Call: Senate Drafts Last-Ditch Drug Pricing Plan Ahead Of Midterms
Senate Democrats are scraping together a last-minute plan to let Medicare negotiate prices directly with manufacturers for some prescription drugs ahead of the midterm elections, according to a summary of the plan obtained by CQ Roll Call. The effort attempts to revive a key piece of Democrats’ sweeping social spending and climate bill after intra-party divisions killed the original legislation. (Clason, 6/30)
Stat: Democrats Tweak Their Drug Pricing Plan In Last-Ditch Effort To Pass Reforms
Senate Democrats are vetting a new, tweaked version of a drug pricing package as they hurtle toward a September deadline to pass any major reforms. It’s by no means certain that Congress will pass prescription drug pricing reform as part of a broader domestic policy package being hammered out between Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and moderate Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.), but this week, the chances are looking better than ever. (Cohrs, 6/30)
On cost transparency —
Axios: Consumers Will Soon Get Access To Huge Amounts Of Health Care Price Data
Patients will soon have a clearer picture of what insurers and employers pay for health care thanks to a federal rule that kicks in today — if a collection of health tech companies can make the trove of data understandable. (Reed, 7/1)
KHN: How Much Health Insurers Pay For Almost Everything Is About To Go Public
Consumers, employers, and just about everyone else interested in health care prices will soon get an unprecedented look at what insurers pay for care, perhaps helping answer a question that has long dogged those who buy insurance: Are we getting the best deal we can? As of July 1, health insurers and self-insured employers must post on websites just about every price they’ve negotiated with providers for health care services, item by item. About the only thing excluded are the prices paid for prescription drugs, except those administered in hospitals or doctors’ offices. (Appleby, 7/1)
On medical debt —
AP: Some Medical Debt Is Being Removed From US Credit Reports
Help is coming for many people with medical debt on their credit reports. Starting Friday, the three major U.S. credit reporting companies will stop counting paid medical debt on the reports that banks, potential landlords and others use to judge creditworthiness. The companies also will start giving people a year to resolve delinquent medical debt that has been sent to collections before reporting it — up from six months previously. (Murphy, 6/30)
KHN: How To Get Rid Of Medical Debt — Or Avoid It In The First Place
Lori Mangum was 32 when apple-size tumors sprouted on her head. Now — six years and 10 surgeries later — the skin cancer is gone. But her pain lives on, in the form of medical debt. Even with insurance, Mangum paid $36,000 out-of-pocket, charges that stemmed from the hospital, the surgeon, the anesthesiologist, the pharmacy, and follow-up care. And she still has about $7,000 more to pay. (Noguchi, 7/1)
Pandemic Policymaking
Supreme Court Upholds NY Vaccine Mandate For Health Care Workers
The Washington Post: Supreme Court Lets Vaccine Mandate Stand Without Religious Exemption
Over the objection of three justices, the Supreme Court on Thursday left in place New York’s coronavirus vaccine requirement for health-care workers that drew a challenge over its lack of a religious exemption. The court’s order came on the final day of its term, as the justices also announced their final decisions and what additional cases they will review when the court reconvenes in October. (Marimow and Barnes, 6/30)
In his dissent, Justice Clarence Thomas spreads misinformation about covid vaccines —
Axios: Clarence Thomas Suggests COVID Vaccines Are Created With Cells From "Aborted Children"
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas suggested Thursday in a dissenting opinion that coronavirus vaccines were developed using cells from "aborted children." ... No coronavirus vaccine in the U.S. contains the cells of aborted fetuses. (Gonzalez, 6/30)
In related news on vaccine mandates —
The New York Times: About 10 Percent Of National Guard Members Will Be In Violation Of A Federal Vaccine Mandate On Friday
At midnight on Thursday, tens of thousands of National Guard troops who have yet to prove they have been vaccinated against the coronavirus will be in violation of a direct order mandating their compliance. As a result, they will no longer be able to drill with their units until they provide proof that they have been vaccinated or have received an exemption approved by military leaders. (Ismay, Medina and Kannapell, 7/1)
AP: Guard Could Lose 600 Minnesotans After Vaccine Deadline
The Minnesota National Guard could lose hundreds of soldiers if they don’t get vaccinated against COVID-19 immediately. The St. Paul Pioneer Press reported that the U.S. Department of Defense’s deadline for getting shots is Thursday. More than 95% of the Minnesota National Guard’s 13,000 members have been vaccinated but according to the percentages military officials provided that leaves more than 600 members who could face dismissal. (6/30)
Boston Herald: Massachusetts State Police Fired Over Vaccine Mandate To Lose Guns, Too
The head of the State Police has informed troopers fired for failing to get COVID shots that their permits to carry firearms will be “expired” as of next week. ... Thirteen troopers were discharged by the State Police after the height of the pandemic for failing to get a mandatory vaccine against COVID-19. It is unclear if all of the officers dismissed have received a letter, but the Herald was told that most have. (Medsger, 6/30)
WTAE: Vaccine Mandate: Pittsburgh Threatens To Fire Dozens Of Officers
The city of Pittsburgh is threatening to fire dozens of police officers who have not been vaccinated for COVID-19. The city and the police union had been negotiating this issue for months. Back in January, the police union said 40% of its officers were not vaccinated and requested religious or medical exemptions. The union filed a grievance and unfair labor practices. (6/29)
The New York Times: Why Judges Keep Recusing Themselves From A N.Y.C. Vaccine Mandate Case
It’s a routine step when someone files a lawsuit in federal court in Manhattan: The case is randomly assigned to a judge. But what happened recently in a case brought by New York City teachers and other educational workers seeking to block a coronavirus vaccine requirement has been anything but routine. Over two weeks, the teachers’ lawyers have asked three successive judges assigned to the case to recuse themselves and have it reassigned. The lawyers cited financial disclosure forms, listing each judge as owning thousands of dollars of stock in Covid-19 vaccine manufacturers, whose share price, they argued, could be helped or hurt by their rulings. (Weiser, 7/1)
Vaccines and Covid Treatments
Your Booster Shot This Fall Will Target Omicron Variants
The Washington Post: Omicron-Based Covid Booster Shots Will Roll Out This Fall
This fall, vaccine makers will begin rolling out coronavirus booster vaccines better tailored to fight the current phase of the pandemic. Two days after outside experts voted in favor of a new vaccine adapted to protect against omicron, the Food and Drug Administration announced that the fall shots would include a component from BA.4 and BA.5, the omicron subvariants gaining ground in the United States. (Johnson, 6/30)
AP: Tweaked COVID Boosters In US Must Target Newer Omicron Types
U.S. regulators told COVID-19 vaccine makers Thursday that any booster shots tweaked for the fall will have to add protection against the newest omicron relatives. The Food and Drug Administration said the original vaccines would be used for anyone still getting their first series of shots. But with immunity waning and the super-contagious omicron family of variants getting better at dodging protection, the FDA decided boosters intended for fall needed an update. (Neergaard and Perrone, 6/30)
And Pfizer is testing universal vaccines —
Axios: Pfizer To Begin Testing Universal Coronavirus Vaccines
Pfizer and its partner BioNTech plan to start clinical trials of pan-coronavirus vaccines in the second half of the year, BioNTech officials said in an investor presentation on Wednesday. The company said it wants to provide "durable variant protection," according to Reuters, which first reported the news. (Reed, 6/30)
In other news about vaccines and covid treatments —
Axios: NYC To Provide Paxlovid At Covid-19 Testing Sites
New York City will begin offering free antiviral medications at mobile testing sites for vulnerable residents who test positive for COVID-19, Mayor Eric Adams said Thursday. Mobile testing units will now include a clinician who can prescribe the antiviral medication Paxlovid at no cost for those who are eligible. (Chen, 6/30)
Bloomberg: Covid Shots Worked Better For Obese Than Underweight In UK Study
People who are underweight or obese are most at risk of severe Covid, but a UK study found that two doses of vaccine still protect both groups well. The researchers, who focused on patients at the two extremes of the body mass index scale, found that the shots worked slightly better for those at the high end of the measure in a study published in medical journal The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology on Friday. (Fourcade, 6/30)
PBS NewsHour: Rural Parents Are Less Likely To Say Their Pediatrician Recommended COVID Shots. Here’s Why That Matters
According to a survey of parents released in March by the CDC, four out of 10 parents in rural communities said their pediatricians – who in general rank among the most trusted health care providers – did not recommend that their patients get COVID vaccines, far more than one out of 10 parents in urban communities who said the same. (Santhanam, 6/30)
And more on the spread of covid —
AP: WVa National Guard's Full-Time Pandemic Response To End
The West Virginia National Guard’s full-time response to the COVID-19 pandemic will end Friday, Gov. Jim Justice said. Justice first activated the National Guard to assist with the state’s pandemic response in March 2020. Among their duties, guard members have transported supplies, staffed COVID-19 testing and vaccine sites, disinfected vehicles and facilities, and assisted health departments with data entry. (6/30)
Los Angeles Times: Coronavirus Cases Jump At L.A. County Workplaces
An upswing in coronavirus infections has spawned a rise in worksite case clusters in Los Angeles County, prompting health officials to recommend additional measures aimed at tamping down transmission, including reducing crowding and, if there’s a suspected outbreak, expanding remote work. (Money and Lin II, 6/30)
CIDRAP: Study Shows Long-Distance Spread Of COVID-19 In Some Indoor Settings
A new systematic review of 18 studies finds evidence suggesting that long-distance airborne transmission (more than 2 meters away) of SARS-CoV-2 might occur in indoor settings such as restaurants, workplaces, and venues for choirs. The study is published in The BMJ today. ... The authors found long-distance airborne transmission was likely in 16 of the 18 studies. In 13 of the 18 studies, the index patient was asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic. The most convincing evidence of long-distance transmission came from eight events where singing occurred, the authors said. (6/30)
Bloomberg: North Korea Blames Covid Outbreak On ‘Alien Things’ From South
North Korea blamed its Covid-19 outbreak on “alien things” likely sent by balloon across its border with South Korea, saying a teenage soldier and a five-year-old girl in April were the first people in the country infected by coronavirus. (Herskovitz and Cha, 7/1)
Outbreaks and Health Threats
Monkeypox 'Way Worse' Than Having Covid Twice, US Patient Says
CBS News: Man Recovering From Monkeypox Says Virus Is "Way Worse" Than COVID
A man who has monkeypox is sharing what it's like to recover from the virus. CBS2's Lisa Rozner spoke to Matt Ford, who is still in isolation. "I've had COVID twice. This was way worse," he said. Ford says he's finally feeling better two weeks after noticing pimple-like marks the ended up being monkeypox lesions. (Rozner, 6/30)
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Second Case Of Monkeypox Confirmed In Pittsburgh
A second case of the viral illness monkeypox was confirmed in Pittsburgh on Thursday, two days following the region’s first documented case. The second patient was diagnosed with the virus after consulting the Central Outreach Wellness Center, an LGBTQ-oriented medical clinic on the North Side. (Bunch, 7/1)
KUTV: Health Officials Announce 5th Confirmed Monkeypox Case In Utah
Health officials have confirmed the 5th confirmed case of monkeypox in Utah. According to a statement from SLCo Health Department, the infection was acquired during international travel. This individual had a handful of contacts before diagnosis and those exposed are aware and are monitoring themselves for symptoms. Experts said four of the confirmed cases were from Salt Lake County, and the fifth was confirmed in Utah County. (6/29)
WPRI: Massachusetts Reports Another 8 Monkeypox Cases
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) has reported eight additional monkeypox cases, bringing the state’s total to 21.The eight new cases were all reported in adult males over the past week, according to the DPH, and they’re all currently isolating. (Doiron, 6/30)
Detroit Free Press: Michigan Doesn't Have Any Doses Of Vaccine Used To Prevent Monkeypox
Michigan health officials, who on Wednesday announced the state's first presumed case of monkeypox, told the Free Press Thursday that Michigan doesn't have any doses of Jynneos, the smallpox and monkeypox vaccine used to prevent disease or limit severity of symptoms. (Jordan Shamus, 6/30)
And in news from overseas —
CIDRAP: Monkeypox Soars In Europe, With More Than 4,000 Cases
New data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the World Health Organization European regional office shows the monkeypox outbreak in Europe has grown to 4,177 cases in less than 2 months, with the United Kingdom producing 25% of those cases. Germany has surpassed Spain and Portugal with a national total reaching 838 cases, compared to 736 cases in Spain and 365 in Portugal. France has 350 cases. (Soucheray, 6/30)
Press Association: Public Health Doctor Urges Those With Monkeypox Symptoms To Avoid London Pride
London's top public health doctor has urged people with monkeypox symptoms not to attend Pride events in the capital this weekend. Professor Kevin Fenton says people with symptoms such as blisters, fevers and swollen glands should stay at home over the weekend and report their symptoms, BBC News reported. (Cumiskey, 6/30)
The Wall Street Journal: Monkeypox’s Unusual Spread In Democratic Republic Of Congo Puzzles Researchers
Monkeypox, which has put the global health community on high alert since emerging recently in dozens of countries world-wide, is also confounding researchers in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a country that has contended with the virus for decades. Researchers in the DRC say that the virus, which has been reported in the Central African nation since 1970, is being found in provinces where it had never before been seen. So far, they don’t know why. (Roland, 6/30)
Pharmaceuticals
FDA Said To Plan Expanding Clinical Trials Of Pig Organ Transplants
The Wall Street Journal: FDA Planning To Allow Clinical Trials Of Pig Organ Transplants
The Food and Drug Administration is devising plans to allow clinical trials testing the transplantation of pig organs into humans, a person familiar with the matter said. If the agency follows through, the trials could be a key step in an effort to ease the deadly shortage of human donor organs. (Marcus and Whyte, 6/30)
In other pharmaceutical news —
Stat: A Celldex Treatment Induces Symptom Relief In Patients With Chronic Hives
An experimental drug from Celldex Therapeutics induced complete symptom relief in half of patients with chronic and severe hives — study results that are still preliminary but suggest a new way to tamp down immune reactions that can trigger the debilitating skin condition. The new data also validate Celldex’s strategic decision, taken two years ago, to pivot to treatments for autoimmune disease, following multiple setbacks with cancer therapies. (Feuerstein, 6/30)
Stat: Analysis Of Amarin’s Vascepa Resurrects Big Questions On Effectiveness
A new analysis of Vascepa, a medicine derived from fish oil and used to prevent heart attacks in a select group of patients, raises big questions about the evidence that the medicine is effective. Several experts say the questions require a new clinical trial to be conducted, and some even say the Food and Drug Administration should reconsider the product’s approval. (Herper, 6/30)
In hospital industry news —
Stat: Medicare Wants To Stop Publishing Some Hospital Safety Data
Medicare proposes to keep under wraps a composite score made of 10 metrics of patient safety and adverse events, including pressure ulcers, hip fractures, and sepsis after surgery. ...The agency — with the backing of hospitals — says the results would be skewed because the Covid-19 pandemic hit different parts of the country at different times, so hospitals’ performances will vary based on factors outside of their control. A spokesperson pointed out, too, that despite the proposed change, the agency is still collecting the data and monitoring hospital safety. (Bannow, 7/1)
Wyoming Public Radio: Sublette County Receives Federal Dollars To Build Its First And Only Hospital
Sublette County received federal money to move forward with construction of a hospital later this summer. It is the last county in the state to not have a hospital. (Tan, 6/30)
Public Health
Officials Link 23 Listeria Cases, 1 Death To Florida
CBS News: 1 Dead, Nearly Two Dozen Sickened In Listeria Outbreak Linked To Florida
At least 23 people from across the U.S. have been sickened in a listeria outbreak which may have originated in Florida, federal health officials reported Thursday. One person has died, and another suffered a pregnancy loss. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that cases have been reported in 10 states. All of the patients either live in Florida, or traveled there about a month before getting sick. The exact source of the outbreak is unknown. (6/30)
In updates on the children's hepatitis outbreak —
CIDRAP: CDC Reports More Unexplained Hepatitis Cases In Kids
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) yesterday said the number of pediatric unexplained hepatitis cases in the United States has risen to 320, up from the 296 it reported earlier this week in an interim finding report. The number of affected states or jurisdictions remained at 42. (6/30)
In news about West Nile virus —
Indianapolis Star: Indiana West Nile Virus: First 2022 Case Reported In Lake County
The first West Nile virus case of 2022 was detected in a Lake County resident, the Indiana Department of Health announced in a news release Thursday. To protect their privacy, no other information was released about the person infected in the northwest part of the state. (Rafford, 6/30)
Bay Area News Group: Mosquitos With West Nile Virus Found In Milpitas
Insecticide spraying will occur in parts of Milpitas on Thursday night after public health officials discovered mosquitos with West Nile virus. The affected areas include the central and western regions of Milpitas, according to a map provided by the health department. (Greschler, 6/30)
In other health and wellness news —
The Hill: Uber Report Details Thousands Of Sexual Assault Claims On Platform Amid Pandemic
Uber received 3,824 sexual assault reports from its U.S. rides in 2019-20, a decline of 38 percent from the previous two years, according to a safety report the company released Thursday. The company said the decline could be in part related to the impacts of the pandemic, citing a drop from 2.3 billion rides in 2017-18 to 2.1 billion rides in 2019-20, but also hailed its recent safety investments and strengthened background check requirements. (Schonfeld, 6/30)
Las Vegas Review-Journal: Heat Deaths In Las Vegas Surge Since 2010, Toll High On Homeless
Heat-related deaths nearly doubled in 2021, totaling 245 people, according to the Clark County coroner’s office. Annual deaths among residents and visitors also surged in the last decade, increasing more than fivefold, a Review-Journal analysis found. The situation is alarming, experts say, as summers grow hotter. (Simonton and Scott Davidson, 6/30)
The New York Times: Why L.G.B.T.Q. Adults Are More Vulnerable To Heart Disease
According to some health experts, one of the most critical health inequities among L.G.B.T.Q. adults often goes overlooked. A mounting body of research shows that L.G.B.T.Q. adults are more likely to have worse heart health than their heterosexual peers. (Blum, 6/29)
NPR: DOJ Fails To Report On Making Federal Websites Accessible To Disabled People
About a quarter of Americans live with a disability, but nearly a third of the most popular federal websites are difficult for disabled people to access. It has been 10 years since the Department of Justice filed a biennial report on the federal government's compliance with accessibility standards for information technology, a bipartisan group of concerned senators say. The reports are required by Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. (Rajkumar, 6/30)
From The States
California Covers Free Health Care For Low-Income Immigrants
AP: California First To Cover Health Care For All Immigrants
California on Thursday became the first state to guarantee free health care for all low-income immigrants living in the country illegally, a move that will provide coverage for an additional 764,000 people at an eventual cost of about $2.7 billion a year. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a $307.9 billion operating budget that pledges to make all low-income adults eligible for the state’s Medicaid program by 2024 regardless of their immigration status. (Beam and Thompson, 7/1)
AP: California Advances Bid To Create Legal Drug Injection Sites
The California Assembly on Thursday approved a controversial bill allowing Los Angeles, Oakland and San Francisco to set up places where opioid users could legally inject drugs in supervised settings. The move follows more than a year of legislative consideration, with proponents saying it would save lives and detractors saying it would enable drug addiction. (Thompson, 6/30)
Bloomberg: California To Allow Lawsuits For Marketing Firearms To Children
Gun manufacturers that market kiddie versions of firearms in California would risk being sued under legislation cleared Thursday for the desk of Gov. Gavin Newsom. The measure (A.B. 2571), which the state Senate passed 56 to 14 without debate, was partly inspired by a child-size version of the AR-15. (Cutler and Clukey, 6/30)
KHN: California May Require Labels On Pot Products To Warn Of Mental Health Risks
Liz Kirkaldie’s grandson was near the top of his class in high school and a talented jazz bassist when he started smoking pot. The more serious he got about music, the more serious he got about pot. And the more serious he got about pot, the more paranoid, even psychotic, he became. He started hearing voices. (Dembosky, 6/30)
Also —
Los Angeles Times: California To End Contract With AIDS Healthcare Foundation
California will no longer contract with the AIDS Healthcare Foundation to provide healthcare plans for hundreds of HIV-positive patients in Los Angeles County after the state accused the high-profile nonprofit of engaging in improper tactics during negotiations over rates. (Gutierrez, 6/30)
KHN: LA’s First Heat Officer Says Helping Vulnerable Communities Is Key To Achieving Climate Goals
As a child growing up in San Jose, California, Marta Segura heard horrific stories from her parents about women fainting on the factory lines and men overheating in the farm fields. They didn’t know those jobs exposed them to life-threatening conditions. Then, it hit home. “My dad, himself, got really sick one time and almost died,” said Segura, 58, the daughter of a bracero and a cannery worker. “That resonated with me as a kid.” (de Marco, 7/1)
Ohio Law Requires Insurers To Cover Extra Breast Cancer Screenings
Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio Expanded Breast Cancer Screening Coverage. Will The Nation Follow?
Dense breast tissue affects about 1 in 10 women, according to the Mayo Clinic. Just over 40% of women aged 40 and over have dense breast tissue show up on mammograms making it harder to detect cancer. And in Ohio, many additional screenings outside of a mammogram, including magnetic resonance imaging, weren't covered by insurance. That changed last week when Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, signed House Bill 371 into law, requiring insurance companies to cover additional screenings for individuals who are at high risk for breast cancer. (Sutherland, 6/30)
In other health news from across the U.S. —
AP: Navy Report: Multiple Errors Poisoned Pearl Harbor Water
A Navy investigation released Thursday revealed that shoddy management and human error caused fuel to leak into Pearl Harbor’s tap water last year, poisoning thousands of people and forcing military families to evacuate their homes for hotels. (McAvoy, 7/1)
St. Louis Public Radio: Military Medical Staff Give Free Care In Southern Missouri
More than 100 medical members of the Army, Air Force and reserves are in southern Missouri for a week to provide free medical services to anyone who wants them. The project is a collaboration among the Department of Defense, the Delta Regional Authority and local health care agencies. (Ahl, 7/1)
Atlanta Journal-Constitution: State Still Falls Short When Caring For People With Disabilities
Despite 12 years of supervision by a federal court, Georgia’s system for caring for people with mental illness and intellectual disabilities remains a dangerous place, according to a new report. State officials have failed to meet numerous requirements under a 2010 agreement resulting from an investigation by the Department of Justice, according to a report issued in mid-June by court-appointed reviewer Elizabeth Jones. (Judd and Landergan, 7/1)
New Hampshire Public Radio: Survey: N.H. Nursing Homes Closing Beds Amid Staff Shortages
Grafton County Nursing Home has a few dozen beds it can’t fill. It’s not because patients aren’t interested; it's because the beds can’t be staffed. Craig Labore, the home's administrator, said prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly all of their beds were occupied. Now around one-third are unused. Without enough staff, in late May, the facility put a pause on new admissions. (Fam, 7/1)
AP: Appeals Court Won't Block New Health Facilities For Jail
A federal appeals court Thursday upheld an order that the city of New Orleans build new facilities for people jailed with mental health and medical needs. ... The jail, known as the Orleans Justice Center, is under court oversight as it works to implement improvements under an agreement, approved in 2013, to settle a 2012 lawsuit over dangerous conditions. (6/30)
Health News Florida: Overdose Deaths Behind Bars Rise As Drug Crisis Swells
Annissa Holland should be excited her son is coming home from prison after four long years of incarceration. Instead, she’s researching rehab centers to send him to as soon as he walks out the gate. She doesn’t know the person who’s coming home — the person who she said has been doing every drug he can get his hands on inside the Alabama prison system. (LJ Dawson, 6/30)
Houston Chronicle: Houston's Healthiest Counties, Ranked — With One In Top 300 In US
U.S. News & World Report recently released its 2022 list of the healthiest communities, and only one Houston-area county cracked the top 500. With an overall population health score of 78 out of 100, Fort Bend County rated the highest among Houston's eight surrounding counties, ranking No. 291 overall. (Welch, 6/30)
Weekend Reading
Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed
Slate: How Mississippi Brought Down Roe
The state of Mississippi has just one abortion clinic: Jackson Women’s Health Organization, better known as the Pink House. And this very clinic was at the center of the recent Supreme Court decision that overruled Roe v. Wade: After Mississippi had passed a law banning abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, the clinic sued a state health official, with the case going to the high court’s docket—and the conservative majority ruling in favor of the state, and against abortion. How did Mississippi in particular become the state that would scuttle the constitutional right to an abortion? (Harris, 6/28)
The New York Times: For Many Women, Roe Was About More Than Abortion. It Was About Freedom.
Millions of American women spent the past five days absorbing the news that the Supreme Court had overturned Roe v. Wade, erasing the constitutional right to a legal abortion that had held for nearly a half-century. The decision instantly reordered the lives of women across the country. (Bosman, 6/29)
NBC News: States Say Abortion Bans Don't Affect IVF. Providers And Lawyers Are Worried Anyway.
Arkansas' abortion ban, which went into effect on Friday, defines an "unborn child" as starting at fertilization. That left Dean Moutos, who runs Arkansas Fertility & Gynecology, the state’s sole provider of in vitro fertilization, with questions. The law makes no mention of IVF, but Moutos immediately wondered: Could his patients’ frozen embryos be defined as unborn children under the law? Could discarding those embryos be considered an abortion? (Bendix, 6/29)
Politico: How To Undo The Supreme Court’s Mistakes
What happens when the Supreme Court gets it wrong? Misguided court decisions have altered the path of the nation in sadly demonstrable ways. And the question arises again from the series of sharply divisive rulings by the current court. (Canellos, 6/29)
Stat: In A Doctor's Suspicion, A Glimpse Of Budding Medical Mistrust Over Abortion
The idea that she might be pregnant hadn’t crossed Janneke Parrish’s mind. She used contraceptives and trusted them. Now, sitting on the examining table with the doctor telling her there were pregnancy hormones in her system, she panicked. She’d had nightmares about this. They emerged whenever she was stressed out, any and all worries transformed into her biggest worry, of becoming a mom against her will. Some parasite would be eating her from the inside, and she’d have no way to get it out. She’d be entrusted with some delicate being, and no matter how careful she was, it would shatter. (Boodman, 6/29)
Also —
The New York Times: Behind the Scenes, McKinsey Guided Companies at the Center of the Opioid Crisis
Much has been disclosed over the years about McKinsey’s relationship with Purdue Pharma, including the consulting firm’s recommendation that the drug maker “turbocharge” its sales of OxyContin. But The Times found that the firm played a far deeper and broader role in advising clients involved in the opioid crisis than was publicly disclosed. Newly released McKinsey records include more than 15 years of emails, slide presentations, spreadsheets, proposals and other documents. (Hamby and Forsythe, 6/29)
The Washington Post: Vivek Murthy Wants To Fix Our Mental Health Crisis. But How Much Can He Do?
America has a mental health crisis, and Vivek Murthy wants to talk about it. When he was first named surgeon general in 2014, he traveled the country for a listening tour to learn how he could help. The “Nation’s Doctor” heard about addiction, obesity, cancer and heart disease — and, to his surprise, loneliness. “It resonated with me personally, because I certainly struggled with loneliness throughout my own life,” says Murthy. “It’s so hard to tell from the outside world what’s happening inside. Many of us just try to put on a brave face.” (Roberts, 6/27)
AP: A Viral Reprise: When COVID-19 Strikes Again And Again
For New York musician Erica Mancini, COVID-19 made repeat performances. March 2020. Last December. And again this May. “I’m bummed to know that I might forever just get infected,” said the 31-year-old singer, who is vaccinated and boosted. “I don’t want to be getting sick every month or every two months.” But medical experts warn that repeat infections are getting more likely as the pandemic drags on and the virus evolves – and some people are bound to get hit more than twice. Emerging research suggests that could put them at higher risk for health problems. (Ungar, 6/29)
New Hampshire Public Radio: Life And Death At A Human Decomposition Facility
Few bear witness to human decomposition. We embalm and seal bodies in caskets, and bury them six feet underground. Decomposition happens out of sight and out of mind — or, in the case of cremation, is skipped over entirely. But at human decomposition facilities, sometimes known as "body farms," students and researchers see rotting corpses every day. They watch as scavengers and bacteria feast on them. And when it's all over, they clean the skeletons, and file them away in a collection. (Poon, 6/27)
The New York Times: Centenarian Tortoises May Set The Standard For Anti-Aging
Despite their wrinkled skin and toothless gums, species like Galápagos giant tortoises seem unscathed by the ravages of aging. Some show few signs of slowing down as they plod into their 100s. To determine what drives these ageless wonders, two groups of researchers examined turtles, tortoises and their ectothermic, or coldblooded, brethren in a pair of studies published Thursday in the journal Science. Prior aging research has largely revolved around warm-blooded animals like mammals and birds. (Tamisiea, 6/23)
Editorials And Opinions
Perspectives: The Effects Of Overturning Roe Have Begun; US Should Follow France On Abortion
The New York Times: America’s Post-Roe Chaos Is Here
It’s chaos out there. The end of Roe v. Wade was foreseen, but in wide swaths of the country, it has still created wrenching and potentially tragic uncertainties. There have been numerous reports of patients screaming and sobbing in desperation when clinics canceled their appointments. Recipes for potentially deadly herbal abortions are going viral on TikTok. A group of hospitals, pharmacies and clinics in Missouri, a state where a so-called trigger law immediately banned abortion upon Roe’s demise, briefly stopped providing emergency contraception. In some states, doctors who perform in vitro fertilization fear they might be prosecuted for discarding unused embryos. (Michelle Goldberg, 7/1)
The Atlantic: How France And The U.S. Parted Ways On Abortion
When the United States Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last week, a quote attributed to Simone de Beauvoir quickly circulated on French social media. “Never forget that all it takes is a political, economic or religious crisis for women’s rights to be called into question,” it said. “These rights are never fully acquired. You must remain vigilant your whole life.” (Pamela Druckerman, 6/30)
The Tennessean: Roe V. Wade: Will Tennessee Lawmakers Finally Tend To Women's Health?
I'm still trying to process the news about the Supreme Court's decision to overturn the landmark case Roe v. Wade and hand over a woman's right to an abortion to each individual state. (Kyra Watts, 6/30)
The Washington Post: Abortion Rights Should Be Law, Not A Corporate Perk
Almost as soon as it became clear the Supreme Court would overturn Roe v. Wade, a number of the United States’ largest corporations began to announce they would pay for employees and their dependents in states that would lose abortion access to travel and obtain one. Starbucks stepped up. Amazon. Citigroup, too. That number increased last week, after the decision was announced, with companies including Bank of America and Dick’s Sporting Goods announcing they would join others already offering the benefit. (Helaine Olen, 6/30)
The Baltimore Sun: Dobbs Decision An Attack On Our Patients
The Maryland Section of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, representing obstetrician-gynecologists across our state, condemns the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which represents a direct attack on the patient-physician relationship and the practice of medicine (”Abortion is my birthright,” June 29). (6/30)
Chicago Tribune: Why It Is Critical To Talk To Your Kids About Abortion Rights
With the reversal of Roe v. Wade, one group that may feel unsure about how and whether to discuss the decline of women’s rights is parents. It’s tempting to assume that adult issues such as abortion are inappropriate or irrelevant from a child’s perspective. But as a developmental psychology professor and a (currently pregnant) parent, I would argue that it is critical to talk with your school-age children about abortion rights. (Katherine Kinzler, 7/1)
Also —
The CT Mirror: As Cancer Patients Wait, Connecticut Plays Favorites
Connecticut cancer patients soon will have new treatment options. Hartford HealthCare and Yale New Haven Health received regulatory approval on April 12 for the state’s first proton therapy center in Wallingford. What the partners fail to mention in their news release is that a competitor could beat them to market with a similar facility 45 miles west in Danbury —except the state is running interference. (Jaimie Cavanaugh and Daryl James, 6/30)
Los Angeles Times: On Gun Control, Young People Might Be Our Last Hope
Anna Pham is not your typical activist. At just 11 years old, she became passionate about gun control after the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018. Joining other teens in March for Our Lives, a national student-led movement against gun violence, Anna turned to activism because she was “tired of seeing my representatives not doing anything and just tweeting.” Now a rising junior at Murrieta Valley High School, Anna has led crowds of up to 8,000 protesters demanding gun safety reform — and she’s part of a generation that may be our last hope for meaningful change. (Isaac Lozano, 6/30)
Viewpoints: What Should We Expect From Covid This Winter?; Minnesota Is Shining Example Of Paxlovid Access
Bloomberg: Covid Cases Rising: The Next Pandemic Winter Will Look Different
The question used to be: “Have you had Covid?” Now it’s: “How many times have you had it?” Both of us have had a Covid (re)infection in recent months. Many of us know people currently sick with Covid or recently recovered. In the week ending June 18, an estimated 1 in 35 people in the UK (some 1.7 million people) were infected with Covid, up 23% from the previous week. (Therese Raphael, 7/1)
The Star Tribune: Minnesota's Smart Step To Ease Access To COVID Drug
A pioneering move to ease access to a powerful COVID-19 treatment will help protect Minnesotans against the severe illness this virus remains capable of causing. It should also serve as an example to other states of the ongoing need to innovate at this stage of the pandemic. (6/30)
Bloomberg: End Of Covid-Era Medicaid, ACA Subsidies Could Create A Health-Insurance Crisis
Since early 2020, the US has been under an official public-health emergency. In July, after 30 months, it is scheduled to end. One unanticipated consequence is that millions of Americans could lose their health insurance. (6/30)
The Washington Post: Americans Need To Take Sick Days, Especially During Covid
Americans have never been good at taking time off, but covid seems to have stolen our ability to do so. Two-plus years of a pandemic have made it so that we are all highly aware of the possibility of illness, but we have stopped respecting its demands. (Christine Emba, 6/30)
Bloomberg: There Is No ‘Back To Normal’ After Covid. A Q&A With Hitoshi Oshitani
Japanese virologist Hitoshi Oshitani has an impressive record fighting pandemics. As one of the leading experts advising the government during Covid, he helped formulate a strategy that has kept deaths in the country with the world’s oldest population lower than any other developed nation, without resorting to lockdowns. Now, as the world clamors for Japan to reopen its borders, he’s urging caution. Perhaps it’s time to listen. (Gearoid Reidy, 6/30)
Also —
Stat: Improve CDC's Quarantine Stations To Prevent The Next Pandemic
In today’s interconnected world, people, packages, and animals can circumnavigate the globe in less than a day. This speed of connection makes it easier to visit far-flung family members, conduct overseas business, and seek a better or safer life — but it also allows for the rapid spread of diseases that threaten the health of every community. (Michele Barry and Lawrence O. Gostin, 7/1)
USA Today: I Grew Up Near A Coal Power Plant. This EPA Decision Will Worsen Public Health Injustices.
Congress and the White House should accept that invitation and finally bring forward a comprehensive climate bill that will put teeth back in the EPA and its ability to protect all communities from the effects of power plant and industrial emissions – including both the immediate public health effects of emissions like mercury, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter and carbon dioxide and the long-term, systemic threats caused and fueled by these emissions, such as heat waves, fires, floods, storms and hurricanes. (Mustafa Santiago Ali, 6/30)
Miami Herald: Until Now, Crime Victims Found Little Help To Deal With Trauma
The need to provide healing to people harmed by violence has never been more urgent. Miami got a head start recently, when state Attorney General Ashley Moody and Thriving Mind South Florida — a Miami-based network of mental-health and substance-use healthcare providers — established the Miami-Dade Trauma Recovery Network. (Megan Hobson, 6/30)